Wheel energized starter



Jan. 28, 1964 D. GORDON WHEEL ENERGIZED STARTER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 2, 1962 17W in 'amm m :Ian. 28, 1964 D. GORDON 3,119,382

WHEEL ENERGIZED STARTER Jan. 28, 1964 D. GORDON 3,119,382

WHEEL ENERGIZED STARTER Filed April 2. 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 28, 1964 D. GORDON 3,119,382

WHEEL ENERGIZED STARTER Filed April 2, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 QMWW Jazzy/a; 570M027 Jan. 28, 1964 D. GORDON 3,119,382

WHEEL ENERGIZED STARTER Filed April 2, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 QMJM 4/ 1701);! iordan United States Patent 3,119,382 WHEEL ENERGIZED TARTER Douglas Gordon, Hartford, W s, assignor to Briggs & Stratton Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis, a corporation of Delaware Fiied Apr. 2, 1962, Ser. No. 134,663 7 Claims. (Cl. 123179) This invention is concerned with the problem of starting the engines of power lawn mowers and other similar engine-powered devices of the walking-attendant type, wherein the engine and the instrumentalities which it drives are mounted on a wheeled chassis equipped with a handle by which the attendant manipulates and controls the device.

With a view toward making it easier to start the engines of power lawn mo: ers and similar devices, some engine manufacturers have equipped their engines with windup spring starters wherein a spiral spring mounted on top (if the engine is wound up by a crank, and upon release thereof transmits engine-starting torque to the crankshaft of the engine.

The Coughlin et al. Patent No. 2,999,489 illustrates an example of that type of starter.

Another approach to the problem is disclosed and claimed in the cop-ending application of Hugh S. Brown et 211., Serial No. 813,750, filed Ma 18, 1959, now Patent 3,084,679, issued April 9, 1963. In that case, a spiral torsion spring is energized or wound up by pushing the lawn mower a short distance over the ground, and when released the force of the spring acting through suitable motion-transmitting means imparts engine-starting torque to the crankshaft of the engine.

The present invention follows this general concept, but it has as its purpose to enable the use of a simple coil spring and a simplified manner of energizing or loading the spring.

Another object of this invention is to provide an enginestarting device or" the character described which is especially well adapted for use with the engine of the copending application, Serial No. 144,286, filed Qctober 9, 1961, now Patent 3,044,238, issued July 17, 1962, wherein the starting torque is applied to the crankshaft below the deck of the mower.

With the above and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate two complete examples of the physical embodiments of the invention constructed according to the best modes so far devised for the practical application or" the principles thereof, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of an enginepowered rotary lawn mower embodying this invention;

FIGURE 2 is similar to FIGURE 1, vbut illustrating the manner in which the engine-starting spring is energized or loaded;

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the engine-starting spring 3,119,382 Patented Jan. 28, 1964 structure with parts thereof broken away and in section, and illustrating the same with the spring in its relaxed condition;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3, but showing the spring energized or loaded;

FIGURE 5 is a detail cross sectional view through FIG- URE 3 on the plane of the line 5;

PEGURE 6' is a detail view, partly in section, illustrating the engine-carried portion of the starter mechanism;

FIGUR 7 is a detail sectional view through the enginestarter spring structure, but illustrating a modified embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged detail view of the mechanism used to energize or tension the spring of the FIGURE 7 embodiment of the invention; and

FIGURE 9 is a detail sectional view through FIGURE 8 on the plane of the line 99.

Referring now particularly to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 11 indicates generally an engine-powered device of the walking-attendant type and which, in this instance, is a power rotary lawn mower. It comprises a chassis 12 mounted upon front and rear wheels 13 for easy traverse over the ground and provided with a handle 14 which extends upwardly and rearwardly from the chassis. An internal combustion engine 15 mounted on the deck of the chassis has its crankshaft 16 passing vertically down through the deck to drive a rotary cutter blade 17 which is fixed to the crank shaft.

Mounted on the crankshaft 16 between the underside of the chassis deck and the cutter blade 16' is a pulley 17 which is adapted to be drivingly connected to the crankshaft through a unidirectional clutch, designated generally by the numeral 1-6, to impart engine-starting torque to the crankshaft when the pulley 17 is rotated in one direction. To impart such rotation to the pulley 17, a starter rope 19 passes through the deck of the chassis and is attached to the pulley. A torsion spring 20 biases the pulley in the opposite direction and, when unrestrained, turns the pulley and winds a substantial length of the rope thereon. With the rope thus wound onto the pulley, a pull on the rope should start the engine.

In accordance with the objectives of this invention, a coil spring 21 which is considerably stronger than the torsion Spring 20, is connected with the starter rope to apply an engine-starting pull on the rope when the spring is released after being loaded or energized. Preferably, though not necessarily, the coil spring 21 is a tension spring. It is confined within a tube 22 which extends lengthwise along the handle 14 and is fixed thereto. Hence, the tube and the spring have upper and lower ends. Since the spring is a tension spring, it is its lower end which is connected with the starter rope; the upper end of the spring behind anchored to the upper end or" the tube, as at 23.

To multiply the motion that can be produced by the spring 21 as it contracts from its fully stretched condition, the end of the starter rope is tied or otherwise fixed to the lower end of the tube, as at 24, and from this point the rope passes upwardly into the tube, around a pulley 25 attached to the lower end of the spring, and then down through the chassis deck to the pulley 17.

It will be readily apparent that as the spring 21 is stretched to load the same, the windup spring 20 keeps 3 the rope taut and causes a substantial length thereof to be wound onto the pulley 17.

Different expedients may be employed to stretch or load the starter spring 21. In that embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 1 to 7, inclusive, a fifth wheel serves this purpose. The wheel 26 is mounted at the rear of the chassis by means of a frame structure which includes a pair of spaced arms 27 connected at their lower ends by an axle 28 upon which the wheel is journalled. V A drum 29, fixed to one side of the wheel to rotate therewith has one end of a cable 30 attached thereto so that as the wheel turns the cable is wound onto the drum. The cable is trained over an idler pulley 31 at the lower end of the tube 22, and extends upwardly into the tube to be connected with the lower end of the spring, preferably by being tied to the block in which the pulley 25 is mounted. Thus, upon rotation of the wheel 26 and the drum 29 fixed thereto, the cable is wound onto the drum and the spring 2-1 is stretched.

To turn the wheel, the operator tilts the mower about its rear wheels until the fifth wheel touches the ground and then pushes the mower a short distance over the ground, making sure that the fifth wheel remains tractively engaged with the ground. When the spring 21 has been fully stretched, in this manner, the operator simply raises the handle and lifts the fifth wheel off the ground, whereupon the stretched spring contracts and exerts an engine-starting pull on the starter rope.

Another way of loading or stretching the spring 21 is illustrated in FIGURES 7 t 9, inclusive. In this form of the invention, a winch 35 mounted at the upper end of the tube 22 provides the means for imparting a pull on the cable 30. This winch has a drum which may be rotated by a crank handle 37 and upon which the cable is wound as the crank is turned, a pawl and ratchet device 38 being provided to releasably hold the drum against retrograde rotation. Hence the spring can be left in its stretched or tensioned condition until it is desired to start the engine.

To enable the drum to be released from the pawl and ratchet, the drum is slidably mounted on a shaft 39 to which the ratchet wheel and crank handle are attached, and drivingly connected to this shaft by a drive pin 40 projecting from the shaft and engaging in a notch in the adjacent end of the drum. A spring 41 releasably holds the drum operatively engaged with the drive pin 40, and a release lever 42 provides means for disengaging the drum from the drive pin. Obviously, actuation of the lever 42 efiect-s the release of the starter spring and, with its release, the starter rope is pulled up into the tube to start the engine.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily ap parent that this invention provides an exceptionally simple, and easily manipulated starter for the engines of power lawn mowers and similar wheeled walking-attendant typeinstrumentalities or devices.

What is claimed as my invention is:

1. Means for starting the engine of a walking-attendant type powered instrumentality having a wheeled chassis upon which the engine is mounted, and handle means extending upwardly from the chassis, the engine being of the internal combustion variety and having a crankshaft, said means comprising:

A. a rewind-type rope starter on the engine including (1) a pulley (2) a starterrope having one end connected to the pulley (3) a unidirectional clutch to connect the pulley with the engine crankshaft for the transmission of torque from the pulley to the crankshaft in the direction to start the engine, and

(4) means biasing the pulley to turn in the oppo site direction and wind a length of the starter rope thereon;

B. a coil spring considerably stronger than the biasing means acting on the pulley,

('1) the coil spring having opposite ends;

C. means anchoring one end of the spring to a part fixed with respect to the handle means,

(1) the unanchored end of the spring moving in one direction with respect to its anchored end as the spring is loaded and in the opposite direc-tion as the loaded spring is released;

D. means providing a connection between the unanchored end of the spring and the starter rope,

(I) said connection enabling the spring to impart an engine starting-pull on the starter-rope upon release of the loaded spring, and enabling a length of the starter rope to be wound upon the pulley as the pulley is turned by its biasing means;

E. and means to load the spring.

2. The engine starting means of claim 1, wherein A. the coil spring is a tension spring, and

(l) the spring extends lengthwise along the bandle means so that the spring has an upper end and a lower end, the upper end being its anchored end and B. the part to which the upper end of the spring is anchored being spaced upwardly along the handle means from the chassis,

(l) the lower end of the coil spring moving downward towards the chassis as the spring is loaded, and

(2) moving upward as the loaded spring is released.

3. The engine starting means of claim 1, wherein the means connecting the starter rope with the unanchored end of the coil spring comprises A. a pulley at the unanchored end of the spring, over which the starter rope passes, and

B. means securing the free end of the starter rope to a part fixed with respect to the handle means.

4. The engine starting means of claim 2, wherein the means connecting the starter rope with the lower end of the coil spring comprises:

A. a pulley connected to the lower end of the spring,

and over which the starter rope passes, and

B. means securing the free end of the rope to a part fixed with respect to the handle means and located near the chassis.

5. The engine starting means of claim 2, further characterized by:

A. a tube fixed to and extending lengthwise of the handle means so that the tube, like the spring, has an upper end and a lower end, the lower end of the tube being adjacent to the chassis,

B. the spring being inside the tube and having its upper anchored end fixed with respect to the upper end portion of the tube, the starter rope entering the lower end of the tube and being connected with the lower end of the spring, and

C. the means for loading the spring comprising (1) a cable connected with the lower end of the spring (2) an idler pulley at the lower end of the tube over which the cable passes, and

-D. means to exert a pull 'on the cable to draw the lower end of the spring towards the lower end of the tube.

6. The engine starting means of claim 5, wherein the means to exert a pull on the cable comprises A. a wheel,

B. means mounting the wheel for free rotation in a po sition beneath the handle means and ofi of the ground when the chassis is in its normal position for traverse over the ground, but engageable with the ground by downward displacement of the handle means,

5 6 C. and a drum fixed with respect to said wheel to turn A. a drum rotatably mounted on the upper end portion therewith as the chassis is lwheeled across the ground of the tube, with said wheel in tractive engagement with the (1) the end of the cable being attached to the drum ground, so that upon rotation of the drum the cable is (l) the free end of the cable being fixed to the 5 wound thereon;

drum so that the cable is wound upon the drum B. a crank handle to turn the drum, and as the drum turns. C. pawl and ratchet means to releasably hold the drum 7. The engine starting means of claim 5, wherein the against retrograde rotation.

means to exent a pull on the cable comprising No references cited. 

1. MEANS FOR STARTING THE ENGINE OF A WALKING-ATTENDANT TYPE POWERED INSTRUMENTALITY HAVING A WHEELED CHASSIS UPON WHICH THE ENGINE IS MOUNTED, AND HANDLE MEANS EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE CHASSIS, THE ENGINE BEING OF THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION VARIETY AND HAVING A CRANKSHAFT, SAID MEANS COMPRISING: A. A REWIND-TYPE ROPE STARTER ON THE ENGINE INCLUDING (1) A PULLEY (2) A STARTER ROPE HAVING ONE END CONNECTED TO THE PULLEY (3) A UNIDIRECTIONAL CLUTCH TO CONNECT THE PULLEY WITH THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT FOR THE TRANSMISSION OF TORQUE FROM THE PULLEY TO THE CRANKSHAFT IN THE DIRECTION TO START THE ENGINE, AND (4) MEANS BIASING THE PULLEY TO TURN IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AND WIND A LENGTH OF THE STARTER ROPE THEREON; B. A COIL SPRING CONSIDERABLY STRONGER THAN THE BIASING MEANS ACTING ON THE PULLEY, (1) THE COIL SPRING HAVING OPPOSITE ENDS; C. MEANS ANCHORING ONE END OF THE SPRING TO A PART FIXED WITH RESPECT TO THE HANDLE MEANS, (1) THE UNANCHORED END OF THE SPRING MOVING IN ONE DIRECTION WITH RESPECT TO ITS ANCHORED END AS THE SPRING IS LOADED AND IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AS THE LOADED SPRING IS RELEASED; D. MEANS PROVIDING A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE UNANCHORED END OF THE SPRING AND THE STARTER ROPE, (1) SAID CONNECTION ENABLING THE SPRING TO IMPART AN ENGINE STARTING PULL ON THE STARTER ROPE UPON RELEASE OF THE LOADED SPRING, AND ENABLING A LENGTH OF THE STARTER ROPE TO BE WOUND UPON THE PULLEY AS THE PULLEY IS TURNED BY ITS BIASING MEANS; E. AND MEANS TO LOAD THE SPRING. 